


The First Acolyte

by Discet



Series: The Scholar and the Saint [2]
Category: Pyre (Video Game)
Genre: 2nd part, Angst, Crippled Scholar Reader, F/F, Fae&Jodariel Platonic moments, Lore Building, Slow Burn, Spoilers post first liberation Rite, love is confusing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 00:42:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11817627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Discet/pseuds/Discet
Summary: Fae was just starting to find her place in the Nightwings when she is forced to recognize a side to her best friend and what it means to her. Meanwhile she is living through the end of the Rites, the death of the grand Legacy of the Scribes. She needs to find herself and her place in the world as time is running out.





	1. Soliam, the Golden Star

**Author's Note:**

> This is the second part of the series, I would recommend going to the first part before reading this one.

_Dreams were always friendly. No matter how hungry or thirsty I was, dreams had always been a safe place where nothing could hurt me. Just stories and peace for a few hours._

_Though recently things had been much nicer in the waking world. I had made some friends for the first time and everyone was really nice. Mister Hedwyn always made great food and was really friendly. Miss Jodariel is quiet but I think she’s one of the friendliest, even if she doesn’t want to admit it. Ti’zo was also a really good friend, he always seemed ready to talk about anything and everything. I’m going to miss him, but at the same time I’m really happy for him._

_But I think my favorite is Miss Reader. She always seemed happy to have me around and where others would patiently wait for me to stop talking about the Scribes. She always engaged, asking questions to refine my thoughts. She can’t always follow me everywhere I want to go, but she always is willing to follow. And she never gets mad at me._  

[ **_She sounds like a reliable companion..._ ** ]

The horned being spoke slowly, sewn together of starlight and a cloak of the night sky.

_She really is. I really think I can trust her, she isn’t like anyone I knew back in the Commonwealth. Oh, not that the rest of them aren’t great! Rukey, Pamithia, and Sir Gilman are all really nice too. But I think the Reader is special…_

_…_

_Oh! You were telling me something. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to derail everything._

The great being laughed heartily shaking his head.

[ **_Worry not young one. It is good to know that you have found such kind friends… where was I? Ah yes. We had decided to create the Triumvirates. The others were resistant to the idea of Ha’ub crafting one of the Triumvirates. After yet another day of debate, the imp had gone off to sulk..._ ** ]

* * *

The soft red light shone right into my eye and I felt myself start to wake up again. I reached up scratching at my head. The details of my dream were slipping away, as the good dreams always did. Still there was something that remained, some place near the Alcove. A path of some kind...

I felt my body slowly raising and lowering and looked over. Some point in the middle of the night I had become sprawled over Miss Jodariel from the corner of the bed I had intended to sleep in. I had offered to sleep in some corner of the room, or under the bed, but Miss Jodariel wouldn’t hear of it. Luckily she was still asleep. I carefully started crawling out of the bed in a crab walk I had managed to get out for the most part before my food had slipped on the sheets and I ended up stumbling out of the bed with a thud.

Suddenly Jodariel sat straight up in the bed her hand shooting out to the spear that was leaned up against the bed. Her eyes swept with intensity for a threat until it came to rest on me, the intensity died down to its usual low level irritation. I waved weakly smiling “Um… good morning. Sorry...” I waited for a lecture or some burst of anger. Instead Jodi looked to the stain glassed window where soft light of morning was already shining through.

“Hm… it’s morning. Thank you for waking me.” he pulled aside the covers and placed her two hooves heavy on the stone ground lifting up, a whine of relief coming from the bed as she stood to her full height. She strode past me to a desk where her armor and day clothes were carefully folded and arranged.

I smiled sitting up, running an itching hand though my curly hair. Miss Jodariel was really nice.

The morning progressed like most of the ones that week. Hedwyn was up soon when Miss Jodariel banged heavily on his door to come out and get breakfast started. It was a pretty simple porridge with a fruit that managed to not taste like it was spoiled like most things in the Downside ended up tasting like.

Everyone came out to the smell of food, the Reader was the last to make it out. I think her leg gave her trouble getting dressed most mornings, she was usually the last to make it out. She joined the rest of us taking a seat next to Rukey. She looked really tired again today. She had rings under her eyes, she was really working hard to keep us ready for the Rites. She was such a hard worker.

“Oh, Fae. Do you need something?” the Reader asked catching my eyes.

I blinked a few times and shook my head. “No! Just staring off into space”

“Alright. You want to do our lesson early today? I have nothing to do this morning.”

I thought of the little book of fables we were reading and was about to answer in the affirmative when Sir Gilman spoke up “I’m afraid that she can’t come with you straight away Reader! Though I deeply regret delaying young Fae’s education; Rukey and I have recruited her to join us in a new competition we have designed! Though, I swear to release her to you at the earliest moment!” Giman saluted with his tail.

I closed my mouth in a little frown. I had forgotten about the game. That wasn’t very nice of me.

The Reader didn’t seemed to mind however “Alright, how about after lunch then?”

I thought hard for a long moment, making sure I hadn’t promised anything. Nothing came to mind and I nodded “Yeah that would be great!”

Everyone in the group made little plans for the day everyone agreed to be back at the latest for the practice Rites.

the game with Rukey and Gilman was actually a lot of fun. Pamithia was on the sidelines playfully giving commentary on the whole affair while enjoying that bottle of gross liquor that only she and the Reader could stomach.

I ended up winning most of the games, having hands seemed to be too wide of an advantage to win against. Rukey tended to give excuses while Gilman kept seeming to redouble his efforts after each loss. The last game was actually getting close when Hedwyn called everyone in for lunch. It was modest soup filled with various vegetables and mushrooms we had collected around here along with a liberal application of salt.

I tried not to show it but I was really excited to try reading _The Cur and the Crow._ The fables in the book were ones I hadn’t heard since I was very little. The ones in the old fable book were a little different from what I remember them being but they were still fun to read. Even if it still took me forever to finish one.

After lunch the two of us went off to an old knobby tree, it was curved in just the right way to be comfortable to rest against. _The Cur and the Crow_ was actually a really great story. The Cur was a warrior who wasn’t able to make friends with anyone because he thought he was better than everyone. Then until one day he got stuck in a hole. He tried and tried to get out on his own but couldn’t do it. Other curs offered to help but wanted him to beg and plead for help. Just when the old cur was about to agree a crow dropped a rope down to him. Once he’s out the Crow explains they had been cursed and the two of them go on an adventure together to break it. They were just about to enter the enchanted glade when I realized that the sky had already changed to a bright orange.

“Oh is it that late already?” I wanted to check that place while there was still light out.

“Something wrong?” Reader looked concerned. I should tell her the truth, but Miss Jodariel looked worried when I started talking about dreams.

“I… found a little path I wanted to check out today… Oh! I would want to bring you but...” I tried not to look at her leg.

“Might be a job for someone a little more sure footed?”  It wasn’t fair she couldn’t see all the same things as me… “Don’t worry about it Fae, tell me all about it later okay?” I smiled and nodded. Sometimes Reader has me practice writing by writing about the places I visit and otherwise refuses to listen otherwise. I didn’t like it at first but I think it's really helped me remember all my letters. I stood up and briefly dusted myself off. I took quick stock of where I was in the Alcove and started running into the forest.

I padded down the tangled forests, skipping over raised tree branches and vaulting over bushes. I could feel weak twigs and leaves get caught as I ran on. Everything was a little foggy and there were a lot more trees in the way, but still I felt I was making my way to the right place.

Soon I came across the tree I was looking for. It was much taller and long long deader then I remembered from my dream. It stood just off from the cliff of the Alcove, looking over the rest of Mt. Alodiel. I could see the riveting ribbons of land emanating out from the summit.

I took a firm hold of the bark, it was still sturdy and tough and started to inch my way around it. As I got around to one side of it, I looked down to see that one root snake from the truck of the tree and along the cliff face. I checked each hand hold I had and started to make my way along the branch. It was a long drop below me but I didn’t flinch or stagger. There were lots of places I had climbed when I was far more hungry or thirsty. To get to a fruit bush or a pool of water. This was nothing.

After about a minute I could see a small opening up ahead It was a small cave in the side of the cliff face. I shuffled my way across it, grateful for a place to rest my arms. It was very small but I was little enough to squeeze my way in. It was pretty cramped but I’m sure Ti’zo would have enjoyed it immensely. Scrawled across the walls looked like little scratches with talons. At first I thought they were random, but I quickly realized they were purposeful, sharp and clumsy but they resembled the characters and letters I had been learning.

 ~~‘ HUBA~~ ’

~~‘ HABU THA ’~~

~~‘ HU'BA THE’~~

‘HU’AB THE ~~ACCER~~ ’

This must have been where the accursed first practiced writing. Everything was rough but it was clear he was working really hard to catch up with the other scribes. After all he needed to get good enough to write his part of the Book of Rites, even though imp had never even heard of writing before the exiles had come.

I took one of the branches from out of my hair and underneath where he had first gotten the write spelling (I assume, it was circled several times over), I carefully scrawled ‘F A E’. I wonder if I’ll have a bunch of titles some day to add on.

“-that’s what you're worried about right? I promise” I lifted my head knocking it against the roof of the cave harder than I would have liked.

But that was the Reader's voice I think? I peaked out, looking up at the cliffs edge. There was another voice, Hedwyn’s maybe? I couldn’t really make it out though. I guess it makes sense this is about where the cliff was. The Reader sounded upset though, which was… odd. She usually spoke so calmly, she could sound frustrated sometimes, but I hadn’t heard her sad.

“It doesn’t matter!” I flinched back a  bit, she sounded angry even a little cruel. “Because the first chance I get I’m going to send Fae back to the Commonwealth and as far away from me as possible!”

Oh.

Right.

Boy that was silly of me.

I thought… I had thought I had made a friend. But I… I guess even the Reader has a limit on her patience.

I forgot, everyone has a breaking point.

My parents. The Commonwealth… I had thou… hoped that I had found some people who were different but even they…

“~~make~~~~~ve her?”

Huh?

“She’ll be happier if-”

“Do you love her?” Hedwyn said clearly but what…

The Reader’s voice sounded broken and hurt “ _Of course I love her_ ”

_What?_

“Then why wouldn’t you tell her?”

The Reader laughed in a way that sounded… wrong. “Hedwyn. I decided long ago that even if it _killed_ me, I would never burden anyone with my problems…”

“You think love would be a burden to her?”

“No. I know _my_ love would be a burden”

“Reader. You can't...you can’t really believe that...”

“No? And what exactly would you call it? A confession for a doomed love?” her voice sounded cold and biting “A gift?”

What were they talking about. The Reader was-

“No! Don’t You Dare Look-!” I flinched hearing the anger in her voice it sounded like a storm. Or more like a thunderclap, loud but over quick “Sorry… Let's work through this logically Hedwyn hm? Like one of our strategy sessions” her voice sounded closer to normal… but it had an edge it shouldn’t. “Let's say best case scenario, Fae isn’t _disgusted_ or _afraid_ of me after I tell her. She lets me down easy and it becomes a mildly confusing and uncomfortable memory to carry for the rest of her life.”

“What if she feels the same way?”

“If she feels the same, then either we’re separated by the liberation Rite, or she’ll sacrifice her own happiness to stay down here...”

“You… really don’t think we’ll get you out of here do you?” my eyes widened. It hadn’t been something I had thought on too much but… the Reader really can’t get out through the Rites could she? When we had decided the Reader should choose who should go free, Hedwyn had said he wanted to find a different way out for her, either down here or on the other side but… what if there wasn’t one?

Maybe the Reader had a plan or… no she just said…

“Hedwyn… I was never going to have a happy ending… my parents resented me, my peers ignored,my colleagues belittled me. Being exiled felt more a natural next step than a horrible misstep… but you, Jodariel, and Rukey. You gave me purpose. Thanks to you I got to feel what it’s like to have real friends… I want to get you all back… and I don’t want these stupid feelings to ruin that.”

There was a short silence before Hedwyn spoke up again “If that’s how you feel, then why didn’t you send her home instead of Ti’zo”

“She wants to read the Book of Rites herself. Once she can I’ll send her off...” I looked down at the letters I had scrawled on the cave wall. I heard the Reader say something but it was too quiet now.

I sat there for a little longer, but as I looked out the sun was only dipping deeper into the horizon. I’m pretty confident in my climbing skills, but it was never smart to try it in the dark.

I tried to get back to my feet but for a moment my legs felt shaky and weak. Which was weird. That had never happened before. I took a few steadying breaths and took one of the hand holds I had used earlier and slowly made my way back to the large dead tree.

By the time I had gotten back it was already dark, everyone was huddled around the fire inside the old building, Hedwyn was just starting to put something on to cook. Jodariel was helping him, admonishing him for being late with the one chore he was responsible for. Primithia was offering to help, much to Miss Jodariel’s annoyance.

I looked nervously around for the Reader not seeing her around the fire pit but caught sight of her against one of the walls. For a moment I thought she was staring right at me, then I noticed the green orb in her hands and felt relieved.

Relieved?

In either case her face was expressionless like it always was when she talked to the orb.

I drew closer to the fire pit, feeling oddly exhausted all of a sudden. But before I could sit down Jodariel looked up at me “Fae, could you go wake the Reader? I don’t want her drawing me or Hedwyn into that blasted orb while we're still cooking.”

I stood on my heels, hesitating before shaking myself and nodding “Sure thing!”

I skipped over to where the Reader was resting, but felt some part of myself hesitate. She was so… so many thing earlier. Sad, angry, hopeless… was she better?

I put a hand on her shoulder and shook her gently. She came out of her trance and looked up at me. I looked at her curiously, but she didn’t show any signs of distress, in fact she seemed just as happy as usual

“Oh, hey Fae, something up?”

Was she just… hiding it? “Oh, Miss Jodariel wanted me to ask you don’t start any practice Rites before we have dinner, since we might not have a dinner to come back to which would be bad, since I don’t think the rest of us know how to cook…”

She chuckled a bit before going into a trance like for a moment. She came back and set aside the orb safely on the ground where it couldn’t roll off. “I think it might be best to just join everyone” she took hold of her crutch before getting to her feet. “Shall we?”

Is she really okay?

* * *

Dinner went well enough. Hedwyn was a little quieter than normal, but the food was as good as ever. After we did some practice Rites with the Beyonders. It was all a very… normal night. But it felt like it shouldn’t.

Everyone was turning in for bed, Jodariel was looking down at me disapprovingly. She reached out for my hair and pulled at one of the twigs “Ow” I muttered.

“All this in one day. To the bed.” I nodded, going and sitting next to the bed. Miss Jodariel grabbed a basket from one corner and came over. She put her two hooves on either side of me and settled back onto the bed which screeched in in protest. Without another word I fent her hands start to hunt for leaves and branches in my hair. Her hands carefully unknotted them and then dropped them into the basket. If she was rougher it could have gone much quicker, but she was careful not to tear a single hair out of place.

We sat in silence for a while as she hunted about “Miss Jodariel?”

“I know you find this tedious Fae, but I don’t want to wake up with bits of twig in my side.” she responded passively.

I shook my head looking down at the ground. “No… um… uh...”

“Out with it.”I flinched but I think more from thinking of how to ask this than her tone “...”

“It's… what do you think it means to love someone?”

For a moment her fingers stopping sifting, she continued but remained quiet for a few moments. “I think… that can mean different things for a lot of people.” she found a leaf buried deep and plucked it out.

“Then, what does it mean for you?”

She was silent for a little longer before speaking “For me, I always loved those who I could protect. To care for those who need it most….Hedwyn was one of them…” she was silent for a long while “Although it’s that same weakness that landed me down here to begin with…”

I leaned my head back looking up at Jodariel’s blue eyes “I don’t think it’s a weakness...”

A small smile threatened the corners of her lips but she didn’t say anything else. I leaned my head forward again and she started to sift again.

Miss Jodariel’s answer made sense. But… I don’t think it’s what the Reader meant when she said it...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! First chapter done. I wrote this all in one day and I am exhausted.  
> Anyways this is the main reason for breaking the fic into two, I wanted to do this part from Fae's POV. 
> 
> I hope this is a good read for everyone who is interested.  
> Please leave a kudo or a comment if you enjoyed the chapter and have a great day.


	2. Ha'ub, the Midnight Star

I looked out in wonder as the whole of Mt. Alodiel fell away as the blackwagon came soaring into the air. The near unbelievable land where the Scribes had created the Rites fell away, blurring in with the softly falling snow.

“By the Scribes this is incredible!” I leaned over the edge of wagon’s side, gripping one corner to peer back as Murr’s Pass began to consume to holy mount behind it. After only a few moments I felt the strong hand of Jodariel pulled me back to one of the seats just before there was some kind of… bump? In the air, making everyone hop.

Jodariel looked down at the Reader “Reader, can you keep us steady?”

“Well funny thing about that Jodi! You know the powerful harsh winds that savaged us on our way here when we were on the ground? Turns out they didn’t disappear when you're in the middle of the sky!” the Reader was in the driver's seat and looked a mix of unbridled joy mixed with utter terror as she felt out the controls and also how flying worked.

It was kind of like a baby bird first bounds through the sky, clumsy to start but increasingly confident. Jodi deposited me in the seat next to her as she ducked back into the blackwagon’s interior “I’ll go tie anything fragile down. Hedwyn!” the door slammed shut behind her leaving the two of alone.  

I looked over to the Reader who looked back to me with that quiet comforting smile she always had. A part of me wanted to lean against her and enjoy the flight, but another part of me hesitated. Did it hurt her when I was friendly? Was me being so close to her what caused her feelings in the first place?

And what about those feelings?

I had never heard of such a love in the Commonwealth. One between two women. Not in stories, or in the hustle and bustle of town. I remember some talking about the harps engaging in such love but… it was never in a very kind light… It doesn’t seem like it's so bad but...

She was afraid I might be afraid or… or disgusted with her if I found out. Is it that strange for her to love another woman?

Was… was I afraid of her? Was that why I was hesitant now? I was afraid?

I looked back to the Reader, her eyes were looking outward, banking in and out of clouds, letting the wings cut through the the clouds like blades. She was humming one of the Minstrel’s songs just slightly off key as the blackwagon soared onward. Her head bobbing back and forth to the song.

The sight filled me with… something. But it wasn’t fear, and it certainly wasn’t disgust. Just more confusion if anything.

A large crash came from inside the wagon along with a low rumbling growl from Jodariel. The Reader looked back stopping her humming. I looked back and spoke up “Um… I’ll go and see if they could use any help in there.” she nodded, and I climbed up and out to the main door before heading inside.

Inside the heavy wooden stump table that was usually set in the corner was on its side, rolling along its wooden rim like a wheel. Gilman narrowly avoided being crushed under it  by jumping back. Jodariel reached down gripping the rim between her two hands to keep it from rolling any farther. With a grunt of effort she hauled it back upright. She and Hedwyn moved it back to its corner before tying it down with ropes.

I guess there wasn’t really need for me to help, I could probably head back out to the Reader…

“My girl, have you decided?” I looked up to see Volfred looking inquisitive. When I didn’t answer he clarified “to come in or not? I would like some time to speak to our fair Reader...” I hopped a few steps inside and he nodded his thanks before heading out into the howling wind.

After the door slammed shut I stood looking at it for a few moments, feeling a low irritation in myself. I raised my hands to by hair and started to scratch, slowly at first, then quickly I scratched at my scalp, hoping it would reveal something to me. Instead only a few leaves came tumbling to the floor of the wagon.

Avoiding Jodi and Hedwyn who were trying to anchor Gilman’s chest, I got on the attic ladder. I sat on the upper rungs looking out at the whole cabin as everything was squared away for safety.

I looked up at the roof to the main cabin and ran a hand across the rough grains of wood “Why is this so hard little brother?”

Eventually everything had been tied down in the cabin and everyone settled down to their various ways of passing time, and Volfred eventually came back inside and set about writing various letters. Our destination was the Cairn of Ha’ub and by the speed we were going we would make it just a few hours past dusk.

Every few minutes I tried to work up the nerve to go back out to keep the reader company, but each time I wavered. Finding something else to do, some task or chore I could do in the meantime. The others went out on occasion, to talk or just to see the scenery of the Downside. But before I could do anything dusk came to past and the wagon slowly descended from the sky and onto the ground.

The camp was quickly set up and dinner made. After everyone started to go to bed I crawled into my bedroll. The Reader had tried to talk to me a few times during dinner but for once I just froze up without much of a response. I wasn’t sick, but it certainly felt like it, in a way.

Before I could escape into unconsciousness, I heard a familiar staggered walk and looked up to see the Reader, her face half illuminated by the dying campfire “Um… hey...” she said looking worried, “I just… um...” she floundered. Her shoulder slumped for a moment before she dug into her bag. she held out the old tattered book that we had been reading fables from and handed it down to me, “here.”

I sat up and took it awkwardly into my hands “What… but why?”

The Reader smiled shrugging her shoulders a bit “It just seems like... Well… We haven't had much time to practice recently. With the Rites starting up again, I thought it might be for the best if you practiced on your own,” her smile seemed off again. “Anyways, good night Fae,” she said before moving toward the blackwagon.

I watched her leave as a sinking feeling dragged me down into my bedroll. I held the book out in front of me, passing my fingers across the faded cover. The Reader and I had spent so much time with this book… she was patient with me even when I kept making the same mistakes…

I clutched the book tight to my chest as I laid down to sleep.

* * *

[ **_Scree -Kiri! Kii-Scree-Kiriri! Skree Kirii Scree!_ ** ]

[ **_The quickest path is always straight forward. All in the world trembled beneath Shax Six Shoulders. Even Ores suggested we go around the brute!_ ** ]

The Midnight Star hung high overhead, shining its brilliant purple over the landscape. I sat on the bone white surface. Looking up at the star with half lidded eyes. Suddenly the wide fluttering body of a imp shrouded in stars came barreling into my vision, his eyes furious.

[ **_Skree kiri-ka?_ ** ]

[ **_Do I bore you young one?_ ** ]

I sat up bowing my head in embarrassment.

_No, I’m sorry. I’m just distracted a bit…_

The Imp landed before me regarding me curiously.

[ **_Kiri...Ki-Skree… Kri-Kiri? Krii?_ ** ]

[ **_Indeed… usually you would have talking my ear off… what is wrong? No food?_ ** ]

_No it's something to do with the Reader…_

I told him about what I had found out in his little cave off the side of the Moonlight Alcove and how I’ve had trouble since then. He listened patiently, his talons tapping against the skull of the great titan as I talked.

_And now… I don’t know what to do…_

[ **_Hsss… Ka-kiriri Scree scrii. Scree, Krii ka kiri._ ** ]

[ **_Ugh...All you from across the river make mating so needlessly complicated. Listen young one, imps have little experience or patience for what your kind call ‘love’._ ** ]

He looked out to the west where a torrent of sand seemed to fall from the heavens themselves, slowly growing into a mountain that threatened to overtake the bleached white bones of the Titan.

[ **_Kraa Kiri. Scree-Karii kii-Hahaak. Kriii-Gwaak ka._ ** ]

[ **_What we do know is kinship. Bonds made through family or choice are one of the few things the imps hold sacred. And from what you have told me you are failing one you have bonded with._ ** ]

…

[ **Grrrrawwk ka?** ]

[ **_So why have you abandoned her?_ ** ]

I swallowed hard biting my lips not sure how to answer.

[ **_Scree kiriri?_ ** ]

[ **_Does her attraction disgust you?_ ** ]

I shook my head.

[ **_Krii ka Grawwak?_ ** ]

[ **_Do you wish to end your friendship?_ ** ]

I bit my lip and closed my eyes shaking my head harder.

[ **_Grrawk-ka?_ ** ]

[ **_Then why have you abandoned her?_ ** ]

_I… I don’t want want to hurt her…_

[ **_Kirii?_ ** ]

[ **_Hurt her?_ ** ]

_I… care for her a lot… she and all the others have been so kind to me… I don’t want to act cruelly to her on accident… I just don’t know what to do._

I stood up and started pacing from side to side.

_Do I pretend like I never heard her? That’s what she wanted, but she sounded so… sad. Do I tell her I’m not interested and hope she understands? Do I tell her I am interested to make her happy?_

I stopped my pacing, looking up to where the midnight star hung so brightly in the sky.

_When I was alone it was… well not easy, but it was simple I think. If I needed water I found it. If I needed food I looked for it. Nobody wanted anything to do with me so I stayed out of their way…._

_But the Reader… she does care. And I’m terrified of hurting her…_

The small Imp mulled this over for a moment before speaking cold and concisely

[ **_Gaaa-Kirii ka-gwaakk… Scraa-Ki-kirii haaak. Scrii gwak. Kiriii-Ka…_ ** ]

[ **_It seems to me your inaction is causing her pain regardless… Young one, choosing to maintain your bond, or allowing her to move on by severing it, they are both choices for you to make. I will not tell you which is better for that is yours to decide. However! Indecision is a weakness..._ ** ]

The sand had climbed to shadow Shax’s corpse, the ribs already filled completely. The imp of night and stars seemed unworried, undaunted by the  rising tide of sand.

[... **_Grawwk ka kiri..._ ** ]

[... **_and seems a graver insult than your Reader has earned..._ ** ]

With those words the great mound of sand shifted, rushing towards us, swallowing the small imp and myself only a moment later.

* * *

I woke up with a start, still gripping the book of fables in my hands. A few tears still on the edge of falling. I tried to keep everything that happened in my dream together but all I could recall was the great wall of sand and an… an imp? Maybe I was dreaming of Ti’zo again?

I stretched my arms out wide and looked around. Just the hint of dawn was poking out from the far off cliffs of the downside. I shifted out of my bedroll and slipped on my sandals. Pretty much everyone was still sleeping soundly about the campsite. The Reader was sleeping next to the blackwagon a little ways away from everyone else.

She looked really tired yesterday… she said I should practice on my own if I got the chance. I could get some time in before everyone wakes up. Finish the story we had been working through… but...

I walked over to where the Reader was sleeping, she was snoring softly. She always separated herself from everyone, because, I think, she was insecure about her snoring? Though I don’t think anyone would really mind.

I leaned down and shook her shoulder gently. She stirred for a moment before opening her eyes slowly. She looked up at me looking surprised and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, “Fae? Is something wrong?” she sat up slowly looking around for some kind of danger or purpose to being woken up so early.

“Um. Well, I was hoping we could do some reading before everyone else wakes up?” suddenly I realized how selfish that sounded and spoke quickly “I-if that's okay. I know you must be really tired… I just. I enjoy when we read together, so if you don’t mind...”

She looked at me looking like she was trying to decide something. But then, she sat up, putting her back against the wheel of the wagon and smiled “So, which story were we on?”

I smiled and sat down next to her, leaning against her as we opened up to the bookmarked page.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! That's chapter two. It was weirdly hard to come up with all the screeches for Ha'ub's dialogue. 
> 
> Still I really like how this chapter turned out and I hope you all did as well. 
> 
> Also special thanks to Frostty for the comment on the first chapter. It was a big motivator to get this chapter out.


	3. Thiesta, the Silver Star

“Kah, keh-gah… ugh... ” I looked back at the blackwagon, the Reader was coughing roughly into her her sleeve. I looked up at her worried but she shook her head “I-I’m okay. The air is just a little ashy.” she seemed to be alright, but I thought she was doing alright back in the Moonlight Alcove too. I wonder if she’s still hurting…

Sandalwood came outside looking more than a little uncomfortable in the hot weather and sat down next to the Reader. They started talking about the plan and how to make it so as few people would get as hurt as possible. 

I pulled back a bit to where Hedwyn was walking along the blackwagons side. After we broke a wheel on the rocky terrain last time, everyone was on the lookout for something that could break a wheel. He smiled waving softly at me as I saddled up alongside him. 

Hedwyn knew that the Reader loved me… actually he had figured it out didn’t he? How was he able to tell? Did everyone else know as well? He didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with her feelings either… 

He had been looking closely at the ground but looked up at me, “something wrong Fae?” he asked and I shrugged, not sure what to say yet. He nodded and looked back to scouting the ground.

I spoke a little quietly so that no one else could hear “Hedwyn, have you ever been in love?” he immediately tripped over himself, stumbling forward several steps just barely managing to catch himself before crashing to the ground. “Oh, are you okay?”

He looked at me in a way that told me I had done something you weren’t supposed to. But he took a deep breath and kept walking, he looked around for anyone else who might overhear and spoke back in a whisper, “Um, yeah Fae. I’ve been in love before.” he looked toward the ground for a moment looking a bit lost in memories.

Well that didn’t seem like much of a endorsement “Was it a man or a woman?” suddenly he looked at me sharply, searching my face for something.

“It was a woman...” he said. Maybe he couldn’t be much help... As we walked for a few moments in quiet but he spoke again softly, “but she was a harp.” I looked at him confused. How did he manage that? There weren’t harps in the Commonwealth, were there? “We actually met on the Bloodborder.” he said a sigh in his voice. 

“How did you meet?”

“... I was on patrol, heading back to my post when I stumbled across her. She was a scout. I thought we were going to fight but neither of us moved. We didn’t draw blades or move we just… stared at each other...” Hedwyn waxed poetic over his love in a way I had never seen him before. The two had met infrequently but kept doing so, despite knowing the dangers. Stealing kisses between raids and sharing a night together while the armies recooped their resolve.

But all the while there was a shade hanging over the story. After all, no matter how well it had went, he was ultimately still down here. And she wasn’t here, “How did it end?”

He frowned as he looked up to the smock laced horizon ahead “One day we were going to meet near my post. She was late, very late. I thought… worried she might have been caught crossing the border and went looking for her. That night the Highwing Remnant attacked, and I wasn’t there to warn anyone… many people died that night. I was labeled a deserter and exiled down here... “ He said gesturing around at the smoky realm we trudged through. 

We walked in silence for a bit before I looked at him “How did you know it was love?” He stared at the ash covered cliffs of the Black Basin and smiled.

“When we first met… it was… there was this spark… I think that’s when it started. As we met and spoke more I realized it but I think it was that first time...”

I nodded with a frown, thinking back to when I first saw the Reader. I had snuck up onto the roof of the blackwagon. The Reader was were sitting in the driver’s seat while Miss Jodariel, Rukey and Hedwyn were packing up the camp around the Ridge of Gol. She was yawning and suddenly sneezed into her hands. Then, after checking to see if anyone was looking wiped it off on her sleeve. 

I didn’t really feel a spark then…

“Hey Fae, do you mind if you ask you something?”

“Dunno, what is it?”

“Why you’re asking about all this?”

“Oh,” I paused for a moment then nodded “Yes, yes I do”

“Yes?” he asked brows furrowing.

“I do mind if you ask.” It was awfully polite of him to ask, a lot of people just asked questions regardless if you mind.

Hedwyn opened his mouth as if he wanted to object, then closed it looking confused and maybe a little put out. I guess thats why most people don’t ask.

There was a painful sounding crack and both of us looked back to the wagon where one of the wheels axles had been cracked after the front wheel had been wedged in between two rocks. The wagon came to a quite literal screeching stop as the imps pulled back with all their might. 

“whoops….” 

I sat next to Jodariel as she was working on fixing the wheel. Hedwyn fed her different tools as she grumbled cursing thee wood itself. I looked out out into the cliffsides around the basin. There were always hovering harps keeping an eye on us from a distance. 

I wonder if they knew anyone in the essence? Or even about the Rites in general. It seemed unfair that the Rites were a secret to so many, and that there were so limited space in the triumvirates. But that’s how the Scribes had intended them right? 

One of the harps had gotten much closer than the others. She had black feathers and scratched up old battle armor. She actually looked familiar… “Oh! It’s that friendly harp from last time!” I said pointing her out. 

“What?” Jodariel shouted.

Oh, right. 

Miss Jodariel wheeled around, her armor shining bright in the sun. The harp seemed startled by it and flew off and away. “Aw...” I didn’t mean to scare her off. Miss Jodariel scowled looking around at the cliffs skeptically before looking back down to her work on the axle wheel. 

“Another one fleeing from your considerable charm captain” Pamitha commented from the roof of the blackwagon.

“You should chase after her bird, I’m sure she would appreciate your drunken ramblings better than I”

“But of course she would! Who wouldn’t? I am a delight” she laughed and hiccuped like she always did when she got a little too deep into that bottle of hers. Miss Jodariel grunted and went stoically back to her work fixing the axle wheel. 

When I looked out again the same harp had circled back, a new position this time. Maybe she’s friends with miss Pamitha?

* * *

The pool of lava down below glowed softly in the night, it looked like it might be comfortable even though I knew it wouldn’t. The bright red pools contrasted with the soft silver light of the bright star above. The light strumming of a moon-curved loot filled the air softly. 

The shadow of a harp with bright moonlight plumage that folded around the loot as she plucked softly with the tip of one wing. The night was peaceful one, even with the sundered body horse headed titan looming overhead. 

_ You're quiet tonight… _

The harp strummed one last time on the lute before stopping.

[ **_I suppose… does that bother you young one?_ ** ]

_ … no I suppose it doesn’t. But it feels like everyone else is talking to me more than ever, in whispers and dreams. Lessons I think. They all get so cloudy after I wake up. I thought you would be the same.  _

[ **_There is another night before the Rite? We have some time. I feel it's important to relax and remember the peace we struggle for..._ ** ]

_ hmm... _

The being for a moment took up her lute but then smiled setting it aside.

[ **_Unless you wanted to talk about something…?_ ** ]

I swung back up swiveling around to look at her with a smile.

_ How’d you know? _

She chuckled with a smile.

[ **_Call it intuition… so is it about your Reader? A friend of ours said you were having trouble..._ ** ]

_ hm… no I don’t think so. I mean yes, its about her, but not the same problem. We’re back to being friends. I’m just trying to figure out how I feel about her. _

[ **_Well, figured anything out yet?_ ** ]

_ I think so? Maybe? I asked Hedwyn how he fell in love, he said it was when he first saw her. I didn’t really feel anything like that when I first saw the Reader. So, I guess maybe I don’t feel the same way?  _

I scratched at my head a bit. The harp chuckled softly, politely even, behind one of her wings. 

_ Does that not sound right? _

[ **_Hedwyn… Yes I suppose it makes sense, he seemed a romantic sort._ ** ]

She fluttered her wings and gently lowered herself down to where I was sitting.

[ **_There are many sorts of love young one..._ ** ]

_ That's what miss Jodariel said… _

[ **_And so there are also many different romances… some are connections made in an instant, like a match struck. Others grow slower, nurtured, like a flower that blooms all at once._ ** ]

I nodded frowning slightly, thinking it over.

_ Still… I think I would be able to pinpoint some moment shouldn’t I? _

[ **_Well perhaps we can find one..._ ** ]

She waved one wing out toward where a small pile of ash had gathered. Suddenly the grey Ash seemed to animate forming up into a human shape, they seem to become more defined into it was a little quarter sized effigy of me standing in the ash. I stood up, and it responded moving along as I did. I did a little dance and watched with amusement as my double did the dance along with me.

[ **_Fae?_ ** ]

_ Ah, right! _

I sat back down and my double did the same 

[ **_Now, what about the first time you two met?_ ** ]

_ Well… _

Even as I started to explain the ash started to shift and morph. The shape of  the blackwagon and the three original nightwings took shape. Behind, the silloutte of the Ridge of Gol. Tiny me scurried up the blackwagons side until I was safely on top, wiping a few beads of sweat from her brow. 

_ Wow... _

She got comfortable on top sneakily looking over the side to see Jodi, Hedwyn and Rukey loading far less distinct blobs of camping supplies into the blackwagon. Then she quietly crawled to the other end where the Reader was sitting. Her little improvised crutch sat next to her as she yawned, a long Rite seemed to have taken a lot out of her. Mid yawn she suddenly reared back and sneezed into her hands. After being dazed for a moment she looked into her little ashy hands before checking around her and wiping it off on her arm sleeve. 

_ See I don’t really feel that strongly about that. _

The shade chuckled .

[ **_I meant more the first time you two really talked together… Alone preferably_ ** ]

_ Oh, in that case....  _

The ash blackwagon suddenly collapsed into a dune of sand, dropping tiny me with it. She scrambled up the side of the dune as the ash around her changed into the flowing desert around the Springs of Jomuer. Little me kicked back and relaxed into the dune. A few moments passed as a little figure of the Reader came struggling up the other side of the dune, looking weary and worried. As she got to the top of the dune her head swiveled around looking around more me. 

“Oh! Hello miss Reader!” 

_ Aw, tiny me sounds so cute _ .

[ **_That’s just your normal voice dear._ ** ]

_ huh... _

“Did you come here to behold the majesty of Jomuer as well?”

The little Reader let out a sigh, I flinched as I watched her struggle with her crutch and falling onto the sand hard. Little me turned from her relaxed position “Reader are you alright?”

Reader looked a little flustered before she started to dust herself off, “Yes, yes I am actually. Nothing that hadn’t happened before. My biggest worry is the sand I’m gonna be shaking off for weeks.” there was a moment before tiny me started to dust off the Reader who look a little baffled but happy “Thanks...”

Little me sat down next to her with a smile, “Isn’t it pretty?” I watched as she looked from me to out over the landscape, her eyes widening in wonder, brushing a few stray strands of hair leaning forward just slightly. 

“So this is why you came out here....” she whispered softly enough that I had to lean in a little closer to hear.

“Of course! Isn’t that why you came?”

“No, I came because I was worried about you,” I felt a little beat of warmth spread through me at the words.

“Worried about me? But I was just up here the whole time.”

“Yes, but I didn’t know that... I thought you had just wandered off into the desert, and it’s going to be dark soon.”

“Oh, I suppose that could be worrisome… I’ll tell someone next time.” 

“I’d appreciate it, it’s not easy getting to places when you’re like me, you know?”

“You’d come looking for me again?” I smiled softly remembering what came next.

The Reader without any hesitation looked at little me “Of course.” 

I smiled as the the ash versions blew away, I felt a warmth filling me remembering that moment. It was the first time in a long time I felt like… I might have found a home. 

The harp next to me poked my nose softly with the tip of wing and smiled.

[ **_Was that one any different?_ ** ]

I felt a flush of heat spread through my body along with a feeling of nervous excitement.

_ I… I don’t know if its love but… yeah… it was definitely different… _

[ **_Well it’s certainly a start. Though may I suggest learning more about your Reader._ ** ]

_ More? Like what? _

[ **_Well…. Learning her real name might be a place to start..._ ** ]

* * *

“My name?” the Reader looked up at me in kind of shock and chuckled, “I’m, just the Reader” she said with a smile. 

The Rite had just ended, and we were already being called back to the Alodiel, the blackwagon was being packed away beneath the eternally bleeding corpse of the horse-headed titan. The Reader was squirreled away in her favorite chair in the common room, away from the ashy air outside. I sat at the foot of the chair cross legged “I know, but I mean before when you were in the Commonwealth. Unless. I guess, if you went by Reader back then? Though I think  that would have been unwise...”

The Reader chuckled shaking her head “No… I just mean that… I wasn’t really anyone back in the Commonwealth. Who I was then doesn’t really matter...” she shrugged. 

I tilted my head “but who you were made you who you are, right?” she took in a breath as if refute me so I spoke first “and I like who you are...”

The Reader stuttered on her protest, only mumbling something as her face seemed to darken slightly and she scrambled for a response. Her eyes tried to avoid mine, but not in the rude uncomfortable way that others did, she’s just seems embarrassed I think.

After a moment she recovered her composure and spoke again, “that's uh, nice to hear Fae, thank you… but stil... I didn’t like who I was back then. I was really weak...” her face fell a little before smiling, “I’d rather not remember it if you don’t mind...” 

I remembered the months leading up to being exiled, digging through the trash of inns and sleeping anywhere I wouldn’t be kicked from in the morning. The polite and not so polite, but always condescending looks people gave when I started talking about the Scribes.

I nodded standing up, “Alright, I get it, I should go see if they could use any help getting’ the wagon up in the air, I’ll talk to you later okay Reader?” I started to walk towards the main cabin.

Just as I was about to leave I heard a little “It…” I flung one arm out to catch the door frame and pushed myself around dramatically to look back at her. She wasn’t looking directly at me, pretending to look through the book she had out, “It was Anna… that was my name back then.”

I nodded smiling brightly “Talk to you later Anna!” I said before escaping out toward the exit feeling a cautious feeling of warmth fluttering in my chest. 

* * *

“Come” Celeste called out from atop the Scribesgate. just about all the Nightwings had come through, Anna was the last to come with the wagon itself.

She looked up at the eternal bard “I am the Reader of the Nightwings, I am here to help assist my friends in their quest for liberation.”

Above the gate the bard scrutinized the words before slowly shaking her head “No… no I don’t think that’s quite right...” there was a murmur of confusion from the other Nightwings. No more so than from the Reader herself. 

“What?! but it’s the exact same thing I said last time!”

“and yet it doesn’t quite ring true…” 

She got a little scowl on her face “Well I don’t know what to tell you, I  _ am _ here to help them”

Celeste nodded “No, that is true, you’re right...”

“Then what could it-?” she stopped mid sentence, her eyes glancing to me before burying her face in her hands. She took a deep breath before looking back up at the Scribesgate “I am Anna, Reader for the Nightwings, I am here to assist my friends in their quest for liberation.”

There was a small nod from the gates guardian “The Eight Scribes bid the Nightwings welcome here. Go forth with glory.” The Reader pulled her hood tight over her head and the wagon tumbled forward. As the wagon rejoined the rest of the Nightwings.

Gilman slithered close to the wagon, hopping straight up to Anna’s height "Oh, Anna! What a wonderfully fitting name for our wonderful Reader!”  

The reader bowed a little lower “Please, no...”

“Come to think of it, you’ve been rather sly all this time  _ Anna _ , you would have made an excellent partner back in the Commonwealth” Rukey said with a snicker “Keeping a low profile is important you know,  _ Anna _ ”

“Don’t” she said in a bit of a pleading voice 

“I look forward to your graceful leadership in the Rite to come, Anna” Jodariel said straight faced, with only a quirk of one lip to betray her jest.

Anna looked up her face a little flushed and flustered “You know I could throw this Rite! I could throw it and there would be nothing you could do to stop me!”

Pamithia landed just next to her wrapping one wing around her “Oh, Anna, we all know you'd never do that”

The group laughed as their fearless Reader grumbled and groused about the teasing. I jumped up onto her other side and she seemed to stop grumbling at least a little bit. 

Of course we prevailed in the coming right, those cheaters in the Chastity. Gilman the Brave returning back to the Commonwealth bright and shining in the glorious shimmer-pool that we would all one day leave from. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, that's chapter three. took a little longer than usual, things have been getting a little hectic at work. 
> 
> Hope everyone is enjoying :)


	4. Jomuer, the Dusk Star

“...so there we were, all of us were standing there. Covered head to toe with mud, in the middle of the house. Everyone was panicking but I was so confident, _so_ sure that we could get everything cleaned up in time if we worked together

It had been a month since the last liberation Rite, everyone including our newest addition Big Bertrude were sitting around the fire! Sandalwood had arrived with her earlier today, apparently it was time for the Rites to begin again. We were passing time until it got dark enough for Anna to read the stars. Currently Hedwyn was telling a story from when he was under Miss Jodariel’s care.

“Just as I calmed everyone down there was a creaking at the door, and there stood Jodi, looming in the doorway… and let me tell you. If they weren’t panicking before… oh boy.”

Anna covered her face to laugh and it sounded like a ringing dinner bell on a farm. Welcoming, inviting, and occasionally interspersed with the snorts of pigs.  She sat at the other end of the fire pit, her face was illuminated by the light of the fire. Her soft brown skin and bright green eyes seeming to shimmer in the light of the campfire.

“See something you like?” Pamithia asked shaking me out of my reverie, she had a little mischievous look in her eye that I don’t think I fully appreciate.

When I looked back around, everyone was looking over at me.

“Oh! Um, hey. I was just thinking you know, it’s great that we finally have our eighth” I said trying not to frown at Pamitha’s rolling eyes.

“Eight?” Jodariel asked with a raised brow “I count seven, or nine if you count those liberated. Eleven I suppose if you include Sandalwood and the bard... ” she looked around before glancing back at the modestly sized black wagon before huffing out a sigh.

“Oh, I just mean we have someone for each of the Scribes now. They’d appreciate it don’t you think? I think they would… Even if mister Sandalwood hadn’t officially joined yet as our Sclorian”

Everyone seemed to buy it and broke into little separate conversations. Including Anna who went on to ask follow up questions of Hedwyn’s misadventures in youth.

“Well now who does that leave you as?” asked Sandalwood a curious look on his face.

“What do you mean?”

“Well it's clear who most of us represent, but between you and Hedwyn, I believe he is a shoe-in for the general. So who does that leave you as, my dear?”

“No one.” Sandalwood looked a bit surprised at this his eye ridges furrowing. I quickly added “I’m along for the ride! Like Mister Tariq or Anna, I get to walk the path paved by the Scribes themselves! And even participate in the Rites! It’s really amazing.”

Sandalwood seemed like he wanted to follow up on some part of that but before he could the soft strumming of the lute came to an abrupt stop. 

“Ah” Tariq spoke up “I do believe it is time, Reader” all of us looked to where the stars had come shining out in the night sky once more. Anna looked up, her eyes growing distant like they did when she used the beyonder orb. After a few minutes she came out of it, blinking and rubbing her eyes “Jomuer, way to the south… against the Accusers...”

There was a short murmuring. The Rites had truly begun once again, may the Scribes guide us all to the right path…

After dinner Anna and I got together to practice reading. We went to our special spot away from the other Nightwings. We had packed up the blackwagon earlier so everyone was mostly getting ready to sleep.

She leaned back into the tree, closing her eyes as I made my way through the book. Only occasionally would she open them to correct me on a word. It was a way to pass time before the Rites began in earnest again.

Being alone with Anna, felt…  nice. I mean it had always felt nice, but it was different than before I knew what I know. Was it better? I’m not sure… there was a little tension now where there wasn’t any before. But I want… more of it? I guess? But I wasn’t sure why I did. Sometimes that want hurt... but in a good way I think?

Is this how Anna felt all the time? That must be hard. Does that mean being close like this was helping or hurting her?

“Fae?” she looked a little worried, “Should we call it a night?”

Is it bad that I don’t think I want to know the answer? “I-I can keep going!” I wonder if she still feels this... tension.

* * *

_...I guess I just kind of want to know if she still feels the same I guess? It doesn’t really matter that much but it would still be nice to know?_

The cur sat in front of me didn’t react at first, looking quite serious about it all. His coat was the color of starlight but his main was a beautiful changing glow of oranges, purples and deep blues moving from sunset to the dark of night, shifting through his many layers of fur. His eyes were serious, considering the words carefully before speaking. 

[ **_First. I wan’ you to kno’, you did the right thing comin’ to me wit this and not the others_ ** ]

_Yeah?_

[ **_Oh of course!_ ** ]

He laughed sending ripples of light through his mane. His face becoming much more animated and bright.

[ **_The half of them that weren’ celibate were divorced! I woo’d and loved both of my wives until they each died in their respective blazes of glory. I mean, sure, Ha’ub had a few impy squirts before the end, but he wouldn’ know the first thing about romance!_ ** ]

He padded his paws in front of himself, lying down with a smile.

[ **_Okay. So here’s what you should do..._ ** ]

* * *

I tapped my fingers rhythmically across the wood table in the blackwagon. The hour was growing late and everyone was getting ready for the Rite. My focus was on Anna who was talking with Bertrude about something. I think about what makes the blackwagon fly, both of their backs turned to me.

It looked nice enough, I guess? It wasn’t something I had paid much attention to. Kinda hard to tell with the baggy clothes.

I didn’t know a whole lot about relationships, so I’m not sure why these seems like the next step, but it’s been tugging at me all day.

Rukey approached the little wooden table tugging on his blue and red raiment awkwardly, “Hey there Curly, something on your mine?”

I looked down, maybe it would be good to ask someone first, “Mister Greentail, you’ve had a girlfriend right?” 

He seemed surprised for a moment before proudly pawing at his chest, “Well not to toot my own horn, but there were _quite_ a few who fell to my charms. Why did you ask?”

I took a moment to try and think of a round about way to phrase it but couldn't quite find one“Did you ever sniff one of their butts?”

Rukey was silent, his ears drooping before nodding “Oh! Suuuuuure,” his voice was a slightly too high to be genuine “If it was five-hundred years ago! Or if I was some low born country-cur!” he slammed his paw on the table before storming off “You humans, I swear you know nothing you haven’t heard it in some bards song!”

 Hedwyn sat on the other side of me, handing the second pair of raiment for humans I usually used “Here Fae. What's wrong with Rukey?”

“I think I said something wrong again.” I said with a shrug. I turned back to Hedwyn.

“He’ll get over it, I’ll talk to him if he doesn’t” he uncapped the canteen at his side and started to take a drink.

“Hedwyn?”

“Hm?”

“Did you ever sniff Fikani’s butt?”

His eyes opened wide as he started to cough up the water he had been drinking spurting it over the table pounding his chest trying to clear his windpipe.

That didn’t seem like much of a yes either. I’m not sure where I got this idea, but it doesn't seem to be a great one.

I stood up and took the mask and raiment and headed toward the common room to get changed. I slipped out of my rags, thinking through how exactly that whole plan was supposed to work out. Should I have waited for her to sit down? Getting behind her would have been awkward.

I heard a knock at the door “Fae can I come in?” Anna called through.

“Yeah! Come in!” I took the up the raiment in my hands as the door creaked open, she walked in her head buried in a thin notebook Volfred had given her.

She absently closed the door behind her as she walked into the common room “I had some thoughts on how you and Bertrude could work together for the ne-” As she found one of the tables to support herself she looked up and nearly staggered to the ground. I glanced behind me to see what could have surprised her, but only the impassive walls of little brother and my own bunk. I looked back and Anna was very pointedly looking back down at her notes “next - next Rite.” her cheeks were just a slightly darker flush than normal.

What was she…

I looked down at myself, mostly  naked aside from the long raiment I was holding in front of me. Anna was very pointedly not trying to look at me, and looking to be struggling with it a bit more than the gawkers on the streets of the Commonwealth. 

I took my raiment and threw it over my head slithering my way into the rough blue and red material. As I poked by head through the neck Anna seemed to have relaxed a great deal, talking over a new strategy to use how fast both Bertrude and I could get across the field, although through the whole conversation she seemed unable to look me in the eye before nervously stuttering and losing her place in what she was saying. She was fine by the time the Rite started, but it was a lot of fun while it lasted.

* * *

_And it worked! We passed the orb between me and Bertrude and they had no chance to stop us! We were running circles around them the whole time! I think I would feel bad about it if that Lendal wasn’t so rude..._

[ **_Hmm..._ ** ]

The illuminate cur stared from his seat in the endless dunes north, where the dark blue of the star of Khaylmer cast the sky in the shade of the ocean. His eyes were distant looking far closer to his centuries old age than the romantic cur who had given me advice just a night prior.

_Are you sad that I didn’t take your advice? I’m sorry I just don’t really think it would have worked for her..._

[ **_Hm? Oh, no, it’s not about that young one, it’s…_ ** ]

He trailed off looking back to the star with a scowl.

[ **_It’s something else._ ** ]

I went to sit down next to him looking up at the far off star myself.

_Why is Khalymer’s star shining? He wasn’t one of the Eight. I think Sandalwood and Tariq were worrying over it as well…_

[... **_should the stars ever converge above that Isle, it shall be to signify that their long dance across the skies... is drawing to a close..._ ** ]

I frowned looking at him, now far more concerned.

_What?_

The cur stood up on his four paws looking at me, his moonlit eyes focused, fierce.

[ **_Listen to me Fae. There is a time of coyness and clever tricks, but fate favors the bold. If you wish to accomplish anything you must act._ ** ]

_O-Okay._

I nodded feeling a little wriggling worry bury itself deep inside me. After a moment the fierceness in his eyes softened for a moment before looking back to the star.

[ **_You will face great trials soon young one. You and your allies. I only hope we have time..._ ** ]

The two of us sat silently for a time, before Jomuer started to tell a tell of his grand achievements against the hive titan and his clever victories of his tribes before his decent to the downside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright here is chapter 4, a little more of a silly chapter that Ive been looking forward to since the start of this part. I feel for all the wisdom the Scribes have about Freedom and the nature of sacrifice and redemption, that they have to have some blind spots or biases. That maybe not all their advice is going to be super helpful.
> 
> Either way I do like this transition, and I'm still enjoying fleshing out the different Scribes from their vague characterizations to living personalities and I hope you are enjoying their depictions.
> 
> In either case chapter 5 is one of the chapters I am most excited to write. Whether that means it will be out in two days or two weeks I'm not sure, but I hope it will be enjoyable whenever I get to it. 
> 
> Lastly thanks for everyone leaving kudo's and comments. It's really the difference that makes me want to turn the thoughts in my head into something readable. Especially comments like I've gotten from Frostty, Valaxiom, and RedSpades and BlackDiamonds. Thank you all and I'll see you next time.


	5. Khaylmer, the Rogue Star

I looked out at the pounding rain just at the edge of the cave. It was deafening on the solemn island. The blackwagon was dripping from the water crossing. It felt odd to be here, where the Scribes themselves didn’t dare to tread.  
Ever since I had arrived in the Downside everything had been… well not great. But it felt vibrant and alive, even beautiful at times. The Scribes whispers were clearer, and things were simple. The Downside was littered with the works of the Scribes, their .Here though… it felt abandoned. In a way it felt like the threat of the titans were here instead of their shadow. It didn’t sit right.  
I’ve tried to find something concrete to ascribe the feeling but i can’t. Everything here felt cold, even by the harsh nature of the Fownside the Isle of Khaylmer felt unnatural.  
This was not a place of great deeds noble achievements. The rest of the downside were littered by the the fowl titans and how the scribes had brought them low.  
But Khaylmer was not a scribe. He was the great traitor and a greater coward who fled his rightful fate. Straight to this island where even the Scribes would not follow. So great was his injustice that the Tattered Tantle animated to bring him low.  
It is a place of endings. None of them satisfying. I don’t like it. I hope we can leave quickly after the Rite.  
[Prove yourself…]  
I heard the voice and glanced back toward the blackwagon. Little brother was still drying itself in the relative shelter of the cave. I walked back towards it. It all sounded so familiar just like when the Scribes would whisper to me.  
[Come Fae....]  
I climbed the damp wood stairs toward the door and opened, peering inside and looking around “The Scribes…?! I think, that if I listen carefully, that I can hear them calling out to me?”  
For a moment I could see Anna sitting in the corner, hand on the green beyonder orb, then everything grew foggy and I could feel the vague pull into The Book of Rites like I had for the dozens of practice Rites I had done before.  
As the world came back into focus I looked out across the wide book and the surreal atmosphere that it always had, The Star of Soliam in the back overlooking impassively as much as any of the Titans normally did.  
One thing was different was that I was alone... none of the other Nightwings accompanied me like in those practice Rites. Across from me was another in the robes of the Nomads, in the sickly green of the Beyonders. She reached up and removed the mask, green smoke seemed to flow out from her robes beneath her hood. Her hair was done up in a quick and rough ponytail, what strands had escaped were kept out of her face by a headband. She had a smooth skin with dotted tattoos beneath her eyes.  
“Listen well, girl. The place where you reside at present has but a single rule, which is: You answer to me, here.” here voice was confident.  
“Oh, OK! I will!” It was strange but the way she spoke felt familiar in a strange way. I think it sounded a bit like when the Scribes whispered to me in that archaic accent.  
She seemed caught off guard for a moment but smiled in a smirk “Such naive enthusiasm… Now, be silent. It is plain to me that you have much to learn as yet about the Rites. But, you have learned something, and I would see you prove it… without the benefit of anyone, save for your Reader.” I nodded but felt a little bit of excitement that had little to do with the challenge than it did with being able to do it with the full attention of Anna.  
“Um, OK! Are you out there to help me with this, Anna...?” After only a moment I felt the focus and guiding presence of the Reader like a reassuring shroud. In a sudden flash the apparition disappeared and was replaced by three Imps standing imposingly. I took a deep breath and dived into the Rite.  
We started with a dive toward the orb and opened with a pressing aura shot toward the lead imp, scooping up the orb once the blast was cast. It was a strategy that had worked wonderfully on the slower enemies In this case the lead imp fluttered over the blast and rushed in before I had a chance to jump away, banishing me. Before I could get back the imp had dived into my Pyre.  
It was a sign of what was to come, the challenge was just that, a challenge.  
Eliminating the imps fast enough to then get the orb and score was near impossible, and getting the angles to strike risked them rushing the Pyre. Our usual strategy wasn’t working but Anna seemed to have a plan. Instead of trying to clear the field for an easy dive she instead focused on mobility, soaring over the imps with long jumps and finding angles to fling the orb through them.  
It was a hard fought win, but it was a win, our Pyre was a little lower than normal but we won! The Beyonder pyre went up in smoke and I hastily stripped my mask “OK! How did I do, how did I do?”  
Sandra appeared once more in the ghostly green mist “I must admit that you did better than I had expected, girl. You have passed this trial of yours. Some congratulations are in order.” I felt a little joy and giddiness at the praise as she continued “To you, and also to your lovely Reader. Now, farewell.” the joy I had felt was undercut for a moment by a strange wriggling feeling at the words.  
As the world in the book faded away the blackwagon came back into focus, I rubbed my eyes. The beyonder’s orb was always a bit disorienting. Anna’s eyes had cleared as well setting aside the orb on its usual resting space. “That wasn’t all a dream was it Anna? Cause I hope it’s not?” Anna shook her head looking at something in her hand, something shining “Wow, what is it you have there?” she turned to me holding what appeared to be a bronze band. Spiked around its edge with a hawks head on one end with a large sapphire in its beak.  
“It’s a prize, Sandra, or something, gives them to me after completing one of the trials… they seem custom made for those that triumph”  
“Oh, wow, what is mine!?” I felt a little excitement. A reward from the Scribes themselves!  
“It’s… Khaylmer’s Anklet...” she said turning the band over in her hands “... the Royal Traitor’s hollow band ensured the Sisters of the Arch were to carry out their mission” I felt a little twinge of disappointment by the prize but shook it off when she looked up, “Weird one. The others had been themed after the Scribes. Still it seems pretty powerful” she offered it over to me, “You want it?”  
I hesitated for a moment but took after a moment.  
“Sorry, about pulling you away, but”  
“No, no! Thank you, it was a good challenge! It was nice to do this once with just the two of us.”  
Anna coughed and turned away like she always did when she was embarrassed “W-well we should get ready, the Rite against the Fate will start soon.”  
Oh! “Right!” I said and grabbed the familiar nomad ramaint, I got changed quickly in the common room, grabbing up everything needed to set up a pyre. Everything bundled in my arms I jogged out into the cavern, “talk to you later Anna!” I dashed passed the other Nightwings and into the tunnel we were pretty sure let to the site of the Rites here.  
Nothing about the island could quite prepare me for what I found in the main chamber. The tunnel opened up into a massive cavern. seemed covered in hundreds of the bodies of the imps that scurried across what appeared to be a masterfully maintained field. There was a pit at each end in the perfect size for a triumvirates sigils. As i came charging into the chamber many of the imps looked up from their various jobs and went scurrying away across the field.  
A great fiery idol in the shape of an imps head was ignited overlooking the field. Above him was the twisting and solemn remnants of the tattered mantle, frayed and floating above the field. Raised from the main floor there were stands for the imp audience members who were already there chittering with excitement.  
I looked across the field for any sign of the Fate, but there was no sign of them yet. With time to kill I set down everything to set up. I hummed softly to myself as I set up the pyre, and before too long one member of the Fate came out, a nomad, to set up their own. I quickly finished up our own before rushing over across the field.  
“Hello! Hello! Are you who I think you are?”  
“What?” The nomad looked around before nervously before removing his mask, beneath was the boy I had met the last time, the second of the Fate “Who are you?”  
“Oh, right!” I loosened my own mask removing it “It’s me! My name’s Fae,”  
“Right…” he scrutinized me before looking around “Listen if this is some Nightwing trick I can tell you now it won’t wor-”  
“It isn’t, I just wanted to say I hope the Scribes watch over you in tonight’s Rite”  
He scoffed, looking skeptical “yeah sure.”  
“But I do!” that seemed to surprise him “Well I mean I hope they watch over us as well, but I think if we both try our hardest it would be the best!” I said spreading my arms out wide “I think that’s what the Scribes would want right?”  
“Sure.” He shook his head, going back to setting up his pyre “must be nice to be so carefree about the Rites.”  
I stopped looking at him quizitivelly “What do you mean?”  
“I mean that you Nightwings could sleep through the Rites and still find yourself on the Fall of Soliam.”  
“I… we take them seriously...” I said with a slight frown.  
“Sure, but you don’t have to. The rest of us are beholden to your will or indifference. For five years my father and I worked through the Rites and more than once we found ourselves at the top of Mount Alodiel only for the Nightwings to fail to show up. So he remains trapped down here,” he said in an even tone that said he had put a great deal of thought through all of this “But after years of missing them, you come back and the summit of Alodiel lies open to you.”  
I frowned thinking it over “but that wasn’t our fault...?”  
Almer seemed to all but sneer and was about to start again when the padding of feet came up from the Fates side of the cave. “Ah!” the old cur of the Fate Mister Dalbert removed his mask to reveal his drawn but friendly face “Nightwing, salutations to you before this Rite. What has brought you across the field to us this night.”  
“Sal-salutations to you too. I only hoped to tell you and your son that I hope the Scribes watch over us both!”  
“I see, excellent! May the Scribes favor those with a greater claim to glory.” he said with a nod.  
“Yes!” I said with a smile. Whatever anger Almer had been ready to unleash seemed to be tamed now by his father's presence “I should check on the others. I will see you later!” I said sprinting back across the cavern, where the other Nightwings were already gathering in anticipation for the Rites, each in the flowing regalia of the Nightwings, ready and prepared for a Rite.  


* * *

The Rite came and the Imps cheered no matter who scored, only wanting to see great plays and players. A few even tossed Sol after a particularly skilled dive or banishment. I was aside Mister Greentail and Miss Jodariel, the same as when we had first faced the Fate. Mister Dalbert seemed even more agile and clever than before. He managed to avoid a wide blast from Miss Jodariel by flinging his aura to narrowly avoid the wide reaching aura. Ultimately we managed a narrow victory, using our skills from the Scribes challenge earlier I was able to make great leaps over their keeper to dive into the pyre proper. That with the rebounding Aura blast thanks for the Anklet we proved our worth to the Scribes. But I couldn’t help but feel… bad about it?  
Afterwards the Fate were quickly pacing away to leave this island behind but I approached both Almer and his father. Almer looked frustrated while Dalbert looked as serene as ever.  
“Um, wait, I...” the both of them stopped to look at me and I rubbed my mask with my thumbs “I wanted… I’m sorry, I, I just wanted to apologize, I think?”  
Dalbert shook his head slowly “Why, young one, you must not say such things! You are one of the Nightwings! The most envied of all triumvirates! We aspire to your greatness, and your legacy!”  
Almer let out a sigh shaking his head “Father… please, no more of this. They have prevailed. We need not grovel at their feet.”  
“Um… Almer right? Almer can I ask a question?”  
“Yes quickly and be done with it.”  
“No I just um… I was wondering if, if we could be friends?”  
“What?”  
“Well I was just thinking, I don’t have so many friends, but I saw how brave and gentle you are with your father and thought...”  
“Oh hoh hoh hoh...” Dalbert chuckled turning around “I will see you in some time son...”  
“What… I...” Almer half turned around before looking back to me  
“The Scribes were friends were they not? I think that's why they set things up this way? So that we might all grow close, not apart”  
“Um… right. Uh… Alright.”  
“Sure…. Uh... I need to check with my father… farewell.” he said retreating back towards his side of the cave  
I waved him off before running back to the other Nightwings who were already deep in the tunnel. Anna had stayed back waiting. I waved to her as “A new friend?” she asked in an odd tone.  
“Yes!” I said and she nodded smiling. The two of us walked down the little tunnel to our mobile home together.  


* * *

The floor was cold. Freezing. I can’t sleep here. I need to move.  
I pushed my hands under myself and shoved myself from the floor. Each movement felt like it sapped me of heat from my palms and feet, sending chills through my body. Once I finally got to my feet the I opened my eyes to look around. I was in a narrow cave. To one end was a pitch black continuation, no light seemed to escape. I looked the other way only to be greeted with a deafening hail of hail. Solid ice pelting down in a deathly downpour.  
I wanted to stay, I don’t want to go on. But I couldn’t stay could I? I need to move. I need to keep moving. I will feel warmer if I keep moving.  
I started to plod down the narrow hallway. After only a few turns I was swallowed by the darkness, plodding along guiding myself by the rough cuts in the cave walls. I placed one desperately grasping hand for the wall in the wrong place and felt the alarming warmth of blood across my skin. I held it close against me wrapping it in what rags I had. Shaking I headed forth, flinching away as soon as I got too close to any of the walls, feeling it nick and tear my clothes.  
Eventually a silverish grey hue came illuminating the path ahead. I stumbled towards it and it grew brighter and brighter. I came out into the great opening of the Isle of Khaylmer. The great opening had the great falling ice of the storm outside. The well kept field was replaced by uneven ground of cold stone. The great arena of benches for the imps were shrouded in darkness and its cheerful audience was replaced with angry distrustful eyes. As I looked up I saw where the soft silver light was coming from.  
Above the remains of the tattered mantle was hanging from the dark ceiling.  
It lowered halfway down the great cavern ending wrapped around the neck of an old man. His eyes were closed and his neck was cracked unnaturally to the side. He was dressed in flowing purple robes, ornate and gilded with gold thread. All of it as faded and torn as the titan itself. The skin of his face was pale.  
[Ah… another failure]  
I gripped at my now blood drenched shirt shivering. His voice sounded like his lungs were scraping against rust.  
W… what?  
[It’s so nice to have company...]  
I… I…  
[It was cute how you played coy with that Sap. Nine Nightwings but only eight Scribes. But there are nine stars now, aren’t there? And he was right, you're no Gol Golathanian...]  
He started to cackle his body softly swaying from side to side, the massive chittering horde laughing along with him. I glanced down to see my hand shaking. It had long become too numb to feel anything.  
I… I’m not like you. I would never betray any of them.  
[No… your right, betrayal takes wit. However, more fools than turncoats have dragged down kingdoms.]  
I… I won’t. They can trust me…  
I tried to form a first to grip at something but I could only feel the shaking in my own arm. Everything felt like it was sucking the heat from my core  
[Sure, but can they rely on you? Could anyone? Moontouched as you are? Even that little cripple won’t tell you her feelings. No idea how you might react. Her deviancy wouldn’t be well received by a normal person. But someone like you?]  
I Wouldn’t Hurt Her! I Trust Her!  
I tasted bitterness on my tongue as I lashed out against the man a cruel half grin on his face. My legs started to shake, I couldn’t keep standing.  
[Its easy for you to ‘trust’, you can run and survive any time you want. But If you chose to hurt her…]  
I… I… wouldn’t  
His grin grew wide as he opened his eyes for the first time. They were bright, glowing, and red as blood.  
[Well we both know you could...]  
I felt my legs give out from under me as the cold blew out something deep inside me. As the welcoming darkness started to engulf me, I could only hear the echoing laughter…  


* * *

I opened my eyes my eyes darting around. I felt my teeth chattering and brought my hands together. I ran a thumb across the my palm, but only finding smooth skin and old callouses. Around I could only hear the far off white noise of rain and the throaty snores of Rukey a few bunks away. I forced them to close into fists as I took a few deep breaths. I was okay. It was just a dream. No reason to cry it was just a dream. I unclenched my fists and wiped away the tears with the palm of my hands.  
I really don’t like this island.  
I looked up at the dark of the bunk above me. The thought of falling back asleep didn’t feel very appealing. I slipped out from my bunk, the Little Brother’s Boards creaking softly underneath. I lightly stepped across the floorboards towards the main cabin opening the door carefully.  
As I closed the door behind me I saw Anna slumped over the wooden table, breathing softly the beyonder orb tucked between the crook of her arm and her head. She had been lost in the orb for most of the night after our brief celebration. She was lost in it even when we had all started to go to sleep. I walked over and gently jostled her shoulder softly “Anna? Anna wake up...“  
She grumbled for a moment her head going from side to side before sitting up. Half of her face had the impression of the rings of the stump that she rubbed at “agh… Fae? Did I fall asleep out here?” she asked sitting um groaning as she stretched back. Her hair was getting just a little unruly tangled around her face as she began tucking it behind her head fruitlessly, strands falling back in front of her eyes.  
“Yeah you did, are you alright?” I asked handing her her crutch.  
She took it mumbling in thanks. She took a moment to prepare herself before standing up. She slipped the orb into her free arm before walking back towards the common room. She carefully placed the Beyonder Orb in its holder before slowly ascending the stairs. I looked at the green crystal a moment, its carved and intricate surface still even now softly glowing.  
‘Some congratulations are in order, for you and lovely Reader‘  
I bit my lip thinking about it “Um... ” I spoke before thinking and Anna stopped at the threshold of the common room looking back looking half asleep. “Uh… I was just wondering what’s Sandra like?”  
She seemed a bit surprised before shrugging a bit “She’s nice… well not nice but friendly? Well sometimes. Mostly she’s snarky I guess?”  
I nodded considering dropping it there but… “She sounded like she liked you I think? Really liked you?” that woke her up a bit, “i mean, it seemed that way?”  
She seemed to concentrate for a moment thinking it over before something clicked and her face colored a bit. “Oh, uh yeah. I guess she’s a little flirty as well. A lot sometimes, too.” she didn’t meet my eyes headon looking embarrassed “She doesn’t mean anything by it. I’m pretty sure.” she said sounding a little more awkwardly than normally.  
Again I felt that weird... feeling in my stomach but I didn’t let it show “Alright. Have a good night Anna...”  
“You’re not coming?”  
“No… I’m not really sleepy anymore. I’ll practice reading a bit. You sleep well though.”  
She nodded before heading into the common room.  
I took in a deep breath glancing around the little cabin. A few of the drive imps were scurrying about but most were sleeping in their little nests and crawlspaces. I looked at Gilman’s Chest, full of little treasures from the downside he was forced to leave behind. Ti’zo’s nest was still in it’s place on the wall, his little doll enshrined by the other imps.  
All around were knickknacks from our time in the downside decorated the walls and floors. Everyone’s little touches shifting and changing the blackwagon with their passing. I looked up with a smile at my own Scribescatcher overlooking it all.  
Eventually my eyes fell upon the Book of Rites. It rested on its raised podium there for a moment I felt a draw from it’s pages. I ran my fingers across its white leather cover then the glass covering the star of Soliam. All the words of the Scribes, their story in their own words. I grew up on legends of the Book of Rites, whispers in tavern stories of the Scribes book and that the real reason literacy was outlawed was so no one would ever read it again. Some said they drove you mad. Others that they used them to banish the titans themselves from the downside.  
Even when I arrived in the downside, I never expected I’d get to see it. Then I found the Nightwings! Got to take part in the Rites. I saw their pictures, beautiful illustrations of the Scribes, but their words remained mysteries. I had thought I was so lucky to participate in the Rites to be watched over by the Scribes themselves. It wasn’t such a loss that I couldn’t read it. So lucky as I was. But thanks to Anna even that wasn’t out of reach.  
‘She wants to read The Book of Rites herself. Once she can I’ll send her off...’  
I hesitated on opening the book to its first page. It’s heavy vellum paper at my fingertips. I let the cover close again patting the cover.  
I can wait. A little longer, I can wait.  
I took a few steps back patting my thighs and my eyes fell on the Beyonder Crystal. It’s bright green hue inscribes with careful glyphs inscribed by Milithe herself to trap the members of the Beyonders far far away, and yet at the same time always available. In honesty I had largely learned to ignore them. The Beyonders were raiders and mercenaries that hunted the Eight ruthlessly. Each of their assaults had been stopped, pushed off and routed. Each that was captured was banished into the orb to pay for their crimes. I was alright practicing with them but they weren’t people I really wanted to know.  
But Anna seemed to get along well enough with them. Or, one of them at least… they get along really well actually. I took the old orb in my hands and scrambled with it outside. The cavern was as dreary as it ever was. I settled into the driver's seat of the blackwagon looking down into the crystal. I turned it around in my hands, feeling out the grooves one by one. Was there some kind of button or…  
Suddenly everything seemed to go… foggy. A green shimmer to everything. The rain that had been deafening faded into a far off crescendo. From the mists formed the woman forever clothed in her green raiment. Her eyes stayed closed as they always did, but she seemed to be seeing so much anyways.  
“Greetings, ah if it isn’t the youngest of the Nightwings…” she looked me over then around “figures you’d be the only one considerate enough to take me out of that dreary damp pile of rotting planks”  
I frowned running my hand across the weather worn planks of wood “He isn’t rotting...”  
Sandra looked down at me “If you don’t mind me asking, why do you call… him ‘Little Brother’?”  
“Because he’s younger than me” I said patting the planks affectionately then furrowed my brow. “How do you know that? Did Anna call him that?  
“What no. No one else calls it that. I just hear you when you're talking to, him?” she said it in that quirked tone of voice that said she didn’t really think he was a he. “So why is he a brother?”  
“Because I love him like one”  
“No… like why a brother and not a sister.”  
I felt a little tremble in my hand, but stuffed the feeling down and it stopped quick enough “I guess they could be either... but just had sisters already. When I was little, so...” she nodded with a shrug that she was happy enough with her curiosity sated. She was eavesdropping on us in here. Anna really thinks of her as a friend?  
She had an amused look on her face. “Tell me why is it you visiting and not your pretty little Reader?”  
“P-pretty?”  
“You don’t think so? Of course I can only hear her voice. I suppose she could look uglier than sin. Does she you think?”  
“Wh-no!”  
“So you think she’s beautiful?”  
“I think…” I thought of her soft green eyes and silky black hair… the way she would carefully tuck those strands behind her ears.  
“Speechless just thinking of her. Oh my you will be a fun...” she chuckled softly and I somewhat squirmed uncomfortably. “Still, I’m guessing you didn’t come here just to have me tease you. What do you need Fae?”  
I nodded “Right… um. I think that’s a part of it actually. The teasing. Not to me, but to Anna? The way you flirt with her? If you're not serious I think it would be better if you stopped? Maybe?”  
Sandra looked at me at first amused like waiting for the end of a punchline. Then quickly grew colder, than biting “Oh my that is bold of you wild heart. To tell me how I should go about my friendship...” her voice dripped with venom, the air of light banter gone.  
I tried to run my thumbs across the grooves of the crystal only to to find them passing through it, phasing through. My body felt light… no not my body, my spirit? I tried to keep the unease out of my voice “No, I-”  
“Fae… do you make a habit of butting into others business?” I swallowed hard feeling I had touched a nerve, “Don’t answer I know the answer is no. You see I’m forced to sit in that wagon. Listening to you all, talking, arguing and,” she sighed “bonding. While all of you are free to move about I sit, in this crystal alone only occasionally visited by your readers generous presence. So please, tell me again about how… wrong I am to tease a friend.”  
I frowned “Alone? What about the other Beyonders?”  
She shook her head with a rueful chuckle “What, the other Beyonders? What is there left to talk about after eight-hundred years? How the void is today? How grateful we are for the Scribes for their mercy?” she said the last word with stinging criticism.  
“but... they didn’t kill you… that’s merciful right?”  
“Oh, so sweetly naive. I wish they had. That would have been the mercy child.” she spoke so casually that I could have thought she was talking about breakfast. “Do not look so surprised. Do you know what eight-hundred years of idleness does to a person Fae? It isn’t pretty.” she came down, making a show of resting next to me on the wagon, looking out to the heavy rain outside, “What do you think of the other Beyonders? When you’ve faced them?”  
I thought back to the practice Rites we had down against the Beyonders. Aside from our matches where Sandra participated personally, the Beyonders had felt... wrong. They wore the raiments, they went after the celestial orb and made attempts on our pyre. But there was something missing… “They had no… drive I guess?”  
“They are hollow… but they were not always such” she waved a hand and dozens of Beyonders in their raiments appeared from the green haze scattered throughout the cavern. All the races of the world of Sahr together. Each of them were fuzzy and indistinct, was this how she saw people?.  
There looked to be just over a couple hundred, the largest group by far were the nomads. Sandra shook her head, “so many innocents.”  
“Innocents?” I asked and Sandra looked at me in a way that made me want to set the crystal aside and run back inside “I mean, I heard you all were mercenaries a-and bandits?”  
She shrugged “I won’t say me and my sisters were pure spring flowers, but what kind of mercenary or bandit would take the job of killing anyone in the downside? Where to spend all that Sol once you're trapped down here?” she chuckled “No, one and all they were true believers. They were just normal folks seeking their vengeance against Murr”  
I sat quietly looking out at the throng of Beyonders  
“I suppose time and illiteracy has smoothed the edge from the Emperor, but there was a reason why wave upon wave of every race and creed dived into the River Scholarian clutching a knife with his name on it. Soliam Murr, Emperor of the Sahr was a callous bastard.”  
A portrait of a man appeared above the Beyonders, sitting in a regal throne wreathed in ominous red light. His eyes were cold and his face looked incapable of mercy or kindness “A demon long before his horns came in. His court lived in fear of his whims.” she began snapping her fingers and new pictures weaved themselves from the smoke as she spoke “His people suffered from his indifference. His enemies from the efficiency of his armies.”  
The depictions of suffering beneath the throne were terrible but Murr merely smiled in satisfaction.  
“Among his assassins were poor farmers whose families had starved from over taxation. Men and women whose spouses had been executed for the most minuet of crimes. And, of course, the entire cult of assassins who was raised from birth to take his life” she gestured proudly to herself “That coward Khaylmer-” she spat to the side, it evaporated halfway to the ground “-may have had a silver tongue, but it takes more than that to rally a mob into a suicide mission” Murr went away in smoke with a wave on her hand  
“When they first banished us we many of us were still wrathfully resilient” some of the Beyonds started to shake their fists in the air in defiance. “By year thirty that anger had been tempered into quiet resentment.” the Beyonders started to mill about looking a bit lost, “It wasn’t all bad though, we had found new friends, companions in the void” the beyonders began to mingle and talk to one another.  
“Some thought, perhaps, this was their intent. To force us to see the good in another and build bonds like the Eight had in each other. I was never convinced but more than a few converted to worshipping the man they had come to kill” she scowled “Naive… they believed, hoped, that if they took their teachings to heart and tried their hardest, we would be afforded the chance at the liberation. but the matches atop the Fall of Soliam continued it endless cycle, but the Beyonders would never be afforded that right. It broke more than a few...”  
I looked at the Beyonders all skittish and irritated, some ripped the mask from their face throwing it to the ground, their faces contorted in violent desperate screams. Some started swinging wildly at the mist and then started to turn on one another. A few tried to break up the fights others revelled in the violence “Even this madness, after two centuries was a welcome distraction from the void we were forced to stay conscious in.” soon many who had been fighting or cheering on the savagery slowed “but all good things must come to an end. Even this all grew boring and tiresome” some of the Beyonders began sitting on the ground, curling into themselves “They started to lose hope, nothing to do, nothing to accomplish but the ever so slightly hone the other triumvirate when they decided it was convenient.”  
A few of the Beyonders started to evaporate into the smoke unmoving “They simply… stopped, didn’t speak didn’t react or grow angry, they just stared into the void… and were lost to us.... friends and lovers just gave up one after another. Decade...” she snapped and a fraction faded into mist. “by decade...“ another snap another dozen or so faded away. “by decade...” she started snapping over and over until just about everyone was gone leaving just a nomad, a wyrm, a cur, and a demon. Then with one last snap there was just the Wyrm and the Nomad, left alone in the cavern. the once packed cavern  
“Who is that?”  
Sandra’s hand was already in position to snap again her hand tensed she looked out toward the pair. The wyrm perked up and started slithering around the nomad in a circle, jumping and diving through the mist The nomad looked frustrated and put out “Dame Luvian, wyrm knight of the Sea Dominion. She came here to find and return Ores to his throne. She was a real convert in the Crystal. She held on… for so long that the Scribes had a greater fate planned for her for all of us” the wyrm started to bound her head back and forth to a tune that I couldn’t hear, the Nomad pressed her hands tight around the ears of her mask, stomping away only to be followed by the wyrm “For five centuries, six decades, three years and forty-eight days I endured her constant and endless verses of sea shanties. Her voice was never in the right pitch… but eventually even she...” they wyrm grew slower, less jubilant. She slowly coiled up into a coil of rope her head bobbing slowly to a still. The nomad slowly peeled her hands from her ears looking down to where the wyrm. She kneeled down with a hand that seemed like it was shaking.  
In a curt slash of a hand both forms dissipated away in poof of smoke, the Beyonder’s hand shaking. Sandra’s body was coiled in tense knots, the knuckle of her thumb kneaded her temple, “Do you know how it feels when forgetting every aspect of songs you hated... ranks among the worst days of your life?” She floated off from the bench of the drivers seat. Clenching her hand into a fist.  
“Miss Sandra?”  
“The nerve of that Imperious pampered pissant. She deserved better! They all deserved better! Even my sisters deserved better,” I shrunk back Sandra bolted up from the bench her eyes fixated on where the two Beyonders had been “My sisters and I were trained from birth.” she shook with rage “Do you know what they did to us? To make sure we were ready to kill him? Every day was violence. From them, on one another. I got this” she opened her eyes her pupils were grey and unresponsive to her own waving hat “When the woman who fed me since birth threw ground glass into my eyes! Said I should have expected unconventional attacks”  
“What else were we to become? Besides knives in the dark...” she shook her head “When they forced knives into our hands” I perked up at that looking to her “forced us to bleed each other a-”  
“Oh! You played the knife game too?”  
She stumbled over her words and seemed to only just realized I was here again, she clenched her teeth before spitting out “This was not some, childish pretend game! They forced us to face each other and as soon as one fell-”  
“-they would send in another! Whoever was still up at the end would get a cookie!” I said with a smile “Or at least that’s what we did, I guess it might have been different for you? Did they have cookies back then?” she looked stunned, I think? It was hard to tell with her eyes like that. “Its funny I havn’t met anyone else who played it, they would all just… stare at me when I would describe it...” I looked at her, the anger had seemed to seep away from her. So that was good… still the silence was a little weird… “I was actually really good at that game, when I was little, I usually got the cookie I was really good. Everyone was really happy, I shared it when the mothers weren’t looking. They didn’t like when I shared… we had all sorts of games really running, jumping around, sneaking games.”  
Sandra looked at me suddenly serious “Fae… when you said you had sisters… how many did you have”  
“Oh, about fifteen I guess? We weren’t all related, but I don’t think you really have to, to be family” I ran my fingers across the wood. Sandra was quiet again, looking at me intently. I guess it was still my time share. I wonder if this was how people bonded... “I was really happy there for a long time. I did well at the games and I liked all of my sisters. Even Daina” I said with a frown “…we moved around a lot but all that meant was that I could go to different taverns, hear all sorts of stories about the Scribes....” I took a slow shaky breath “then...”  
I felt a little growing bile in the pit of my stomach but tried to force it down “When I, we were about eleven... they replaced our wood knives with metal ones… I didn’t do so well after that. we started to get hurt a lot more often. They started to get really mad at me, for not wanting to play the knife game anymore. I t-t-t” I swallowed hard and spoke again “Tried to tell them that I didn’t want to hurt anyone and if they just gave me a wooden knife again I would play. But they said the rules had changed, and I didn’t know why?”  
Suddenly the spacious cave seemed to feel stifling and cramped and I tried to close my eyes to keep myself calm “I started to get hurt, I didn’t do as well in the other games either. I remember one night, after running all day on a hurt leg I couldn’t sleep, everything just… ached too much. I wasn’t the only one either. Lots of my sisters were hurt or hungry or both. So, I thought I would ask the Scribes for help. They could find some solution right?” I smiled a bit thinking back to the night “And I heard them! For the first time, whispering ideas and encouragement”  
Sandra seemed to have grown really quiet, I looked up to make sure she was there. Which she was, which was good, it would be silly to just be talking to myself.  
“I started to sneak into the doctor's room at night, Milithe would tell me what medicineto grab. Ha’ub would tell me how to sneak past the mothers and bring back food from the pantry for everyone. Joumer would tell me how to diffuse the anger and rivalries that had grown between my sisters. Everyone started to get along again, stopped being so... awful to each other. It felt a bit like it used to…” I put my hands in my hand looking down at the floor boards. “Then one day I wasn’t careful… when I was sneaking some food one of the mothers caught me. When they asked why I started… when I told them the Scribes had asked me to do it… they really didn’t like that…”  
“They… started to hit me a lot. Not like the games to teach me. They just… they just hit me? And I didn’t know why? and… and...” I felt some tears started to blur my vision “and I guess my sisters thought it was a new game? Cause they started to do it too? Each time they asked me if th the Scribes still spoke time I would say they were cause they were and it got worse… One day, they threw me out and said ‘the Scribes would help me’ and and...” I bent over holding onto my stomach “I just… I just didn’t want people to get hurt! Why did they hate me so much? I didn’t want to hurt anyone! I Don’t Want To-“  
I felt a sudden blast of force, and I was back in my physical body, the green fog of the Crystal had disappeared along with Miss Sandra. I looked around but she was gone I tried to handle the crystal to let me in but whatever I did before it wasn’t working.  
I guess that was rude of me. She was sharing her woes and I selfishly stole the conversation away from her.  
I need to be careful.  
I can’t tell anyone too much.  
I… I’ll need to apologize to Miss Sandra later. She didn’t ask for that.  
Nobody would ask for me…  
I sniffed and stayed crouched down in the driver's seat. It would be bad if I ended up waking up any of the others…I sat there for a while just… waiting till I could go back inside. When I finally managed to wipe the last of the tears from my eyes, I stood up gathering the Beyonder orb back in my arms. I was about to turn back inside when I felt a pull toward the orb, similar to what I had felt earlier before the trial. I sat down again and tried to access the orb again, the whole world being cast again in green aura.  
Sandra was sitting next to me this time “I’m… sorry Fae. For what the S… for what your family did to you.”  
“Oh. Thankyou? But I don’t know why you would be? You didn’t have anything to do with it?”  
She let out a heavy sigh, “Right, right.” she sat for a moment looking. Or not looking? Out into the cave. Her head swiveled back towards me “All the same, I’ve thought it over. I’ll stop flirting with your little reader. Give you a fighting chance.”  
I felt my little heart start beating a bit faster “I- Anna? I just thought, I didn’t say...”  
She furrowed her brow shaking her head, “By the twelve is this you lying? It's a good thing your so obtusely honest about everything, cause deception is certainly not your thing” Sandra shook her head and I just quietly stewed in my own emotions “Still, it's funny that you thought I could sway her heart. You should have seen her tonight after your little affair with that boy from the Fate.”  
“What?” I thought for a moment, “Oh Almer? Yeah, he’s my new friend! What was wrong with Anna?”  
“Oh she was all mopey and jealous over how buddy buddy you were with him, it was funny the first few minutes but then it was just sad. And worse, boring.”  
“Jealous?”  
“Yes, you know like how you felt about me teasing your little Reader.”  
I thought over for a moment and then pounded my fist into my open hand “Oh, so that's what jealousy feels like”  
Sandra snorted before laughing, that same sneer back on her face, “Oh, little sister, I have a feeling you will be entertaining me for a long time to come...”  
“... little sister?”  
“...By the twelve... I am already regretting this...” she grumbled under her breath.  
I just smiled up at her, and bumped into her with my shoulder she tried to put on a frown but I could see her smile. She was a lot like me in ways. How did she put it, ‘obtusely honest’? Though, I think she was a lot meaner about it then I am? “Who are the twelve you keep talking about?”  
“Haha, leave it to the commonwealth to erase any story that doesn’t glorify the Scribes pet project. The twelve were the Scribes before Murr’s name was ever spat upon this Earth. I suppose you only know them as the Olden Stars… I may not be quite the weaver of words that enchanted you to your Reader, but let me see if I can remember a few of my bedtime stories...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took a week longer, but its about half as long as the rest of the fic, so I hope that makes up for it. 
> 
> HEY, guess who has a bunch of headcanons? This writer!
> 
> So yeah. I noticed there are a lot of little connections between Fae and the Beyonders while replaying. Aside from Fae's patron scribe being Khalymer (as all savages are). Her reward from the trial appears to be something that the Sisters of the Arch wore. Also Fae's 'Scribecatcher' looks a great deal closer to the Beyonders crest than the Star of Soliam. Otherwise its just my own guess work. I thought Fae's utter aversion to violence seemed to be indicative of some trauma and training to become an assassin seems like it would do that to a kid. Also when Fae talks about being abandoned up above she doesn't say it was her family or mother or father, just 'they' threw her on the streets. 
> 
> Anyways hope you are all still enjoying things as they progress. Thank you everyone for the support


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